Oops another rant! - Balgal Beach

Walking around in the early morning looking to take a sunrise photo but its all much the same and the light not special. Then I see a caravanner, parked illegally overnight by the beach, and he's taking his black water trolley cassette out of the van. He walks it down toward the beach and finds a tree where he empties it. I have my camera in my hand, tempted to record the moment but I stop. This is not who I want to be, the monitor, the recorder of things not right. I think to myself; if I wasn't here it would still be happening and an old Polish saying comes to mind "not my circus, not my monkeys". Shit happens and in this case I know, I saw.

The ranger is coming today, every Monday and Thursday apparently. All the overstaying free-loaders have to move out of the free camps before he arrives and records their vehicle regos. (48 hour maximum stay here and only once in 7 days).

I overhear my neighbour talking to others and the story goes like this: an ever increasing group of people, mostly with out-of-state plates, move from free camp to free camp in this area for months at a time. The council are aware and try to move them along so that bona fide travellers can enjoy the area as well.

The story teller expressed indignation to her audience about this sort of behaviour but later in the conversation inadvertently admits to having stayed 4 night already.

The system the council employs is working better than none at all, but eventually things will have to change and probably big time. But maybe that's what the environment needs?

I think maybe I'm looking for a road less travelled by! (to quote MGB and Robert Frost). 

Balgal Beach

Drove a bit farther south and stopped for a look-see at Balgal Beach. Checked the diary, yep been here back in June 2010. Wasn't going to stop as its a bit busy and a touristy spot but there was a premium spot available in the free camp, with ocean views no less. Hmm, why not?

The view from my lounge room. The sign is referring to the other side of the fence :)

Rain Escape.

Back to Innisfail after farewelling my campdraft companions. Stayed a couple of nights back at the Garradunga Pub where the publican Cambo and his misses makes everyone so welcome.

But the rain! Tully and Innisfail have this competition going for the highest rainfall recorded, "The Golden Gumboot" award. Well I'm not interested who wins, someone else can record the downfalls! And just a little bit south looks far better weather. Time to go.

Checked out Lucinda, Dungeness, Halifax and Taylor's Beach and had a look at the Ingham Italian Festival before continuing on south.

Been stopping roadside for a while but when pulling into Jourama Falls NP a line from "The Castle" came to mind:

Dale Kerrigan: [voiceover] He loved the serenity of the place
Darryl Kerrigan: Hows the serenity?
Dale Kerrigan: [voiceover] I think he also just loved the word.
Darryl Kerrigan: So much serenity.

Yep another pub shot.

Tempted... but not at 9 in the morning.

Hinchinbrook Island from the creek at Dungerness.

Jetty at Lucinda is over 5km long, wow!

Eureka Creek Station - Campdraft.

East from Chillagoe and ~15km west of Dimbulah is the Eureka Creek Station and a campdraft over the weekend. This is how our country cousins entertain themselves. Events for the little toddlers, teens and adults. All things to do with the horse including a 9 event race card and fashions on the field.

There is stuff to amuse everyone with stalls selling auto parts to clothing, a bar, food stalls and a stage for the band each night. A real hoedown or more accurately a dust-fest even with the water trucks splashing water around all day.

The day starts at 7am with campdraft events in the main arena. I'm told of all the sports in the world campdraft is the only one where males and females compete on equal terms.

When the sun goes down those with stamina (and fibreglass livers) go on till the early hours of the next day, partying.

It's all about how good your horse is.

The cut-out pen is a good spot to speculate. 

Early morning start.

Flyer.

Almaden and Chillagoe

Driving on the Burke Dev Road out to Dimbulah, planning to stop at Eureka Creek Station to attend a camp draft and bush races. Whilst at Dimbulah, having morning smoko, we noticed the Savannahlander stopped at the station. Walked over for a look-see and found a film crew making a special to be aired later in the year "Outback Train Adventures" or something. They needed some extras, well I thought so, to wave as the train left the station :)

Turns out my travelling companion had not been to Chillagoe before, so On On to Chillagoe stopping at Almaden, just a rail station and pub. Greeting the train this time. Another opportunity to get in front of the camera?  No not this time.

The road from Almaden to Chillagoe is not motorhome friendly, having four sections of dirt that amount to about 15km, but taken slowly its not too bad and it's worth the dust as there is lots to see, unusual geological formations, caves and history. Also good for the odd photograph especially if you have the patience to get the composition and the light right. On this occasion, that's not me.

         click an image to enlarge

The smelter.

The view of town and surrounds.

Out at the caves looking back to town.